When cargo is being transported, for example, by commercial aircraft, it must be arranged on a pallet, such as a Unit Load Device (ULD), before being loaded into the cargo section of the aircraft. If desired, the cargo may be covered with weatherproof material, such as a layer of plastic, to provide protection from external elements. Thereafter, a net is placed over the cargo and secured to the pallet with anchoring devices, thereby securing the cargo to the pallet. Typically, the cargo net is secured to the pallet in the following manner. The pallet is provided with a track running along its perimeter, a so-called “pallet-track.” The cargo net is equipped with permanently attached anchoring devices, known as cargo track fittings, spaced at predetermined intervals about the perimeter of the net. Each track fitting has a base designed to mate with openings formed in the pallet-track allowing it to be secured to the track.
The net primarily serves to protect the interior of the aircraft from damage caused by the shifting of the cargo during transport. In this regard, the net is capable of securing the cargo such that it does not fall from the pallet or become lost during shipment; however, the net does little to protect against the introduction of foreign material, such as explosives or contraband, into the cargo or the removal and theft of items from the cargo. Indeed, by design, the net has a plurality of holes through which material may be introduced or removed. Additionally, gaps remain between the top of the pallet and the base of the net between points where the track fittings secure the net to the pallet. Furthermore, the track fittings are easily disengaged from the pallet-track, allowing introduction of foreign material or removal of larger items. In this manner, potentially dangerous foreign materials and other contraband can be introduced into and/or valuable cargo may be removed without detection.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a method and device that satisfactorily addresses the problems associated with known cargo restraint systems as set forth above.